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NASA provides chemical sniffing abilities to the iPhone

Posted By: Bharat BhushanSharma | Nov 13 2009

The iPhone is surely a gadget all geeks would like to possess, but with this latest application of sorts for the cellphone, even the eco-conscious wouldn’t mind having their hands on it. NASA's Ames Research Center collectively with the Department of Homeland Security have created a stamp-sized chemical sniffing sensory device for the iPhone, courtesy which the iPhone can detect low concentrations of airborne ammonia, chlorine gas and methane.

nasa iphone chemical sniffer thumb 550x404 28368
nasa iphone chemical sniffer thumb 550x404 28368

The portable device has to be plugged into the iPhone, which will then convert the cellphone into a low-cost and efficient chemical sensor. The device uses sample jet and a 16 nanosensor equipped multiple-channel silicon sensing chip to sense chemicals in the air and then send the collected data to another mobile device through a wireless connection for review.

Via: NASA/Inhabitat/Dvice